New TikTok privacy features for teens

TikTok is bringing new privateness protections designed to make the app much less probably eat into youngsters’ sleep time, corresponding to computerized notifications muting after 9pm and 10pm, and extra.

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TikTok strengthens privateness with new teen protections

TikTok is introducing new privacy-focused options geared toward teenagers aged 13-17 who could also be sleep-deprived due to the app’s addictiveness or turn into focused by stalkers. The corporate introduced the supply of the brand new options with a put up on the TikTok weblog.

We consider it’s necessary to make sure even stronger proactive protections to assist hold teenagers secure, and we’ve frequently launched adjustments to help age-appropriate experiences on our platform.

Right here’s a abstract of the adjustments:

Notifications curfew:Underage customers can have notifications turned off after 9pm or 10pm
New pop-ups:To tell teenagers of the brand new privateness settings
DMs:Direct messages for teenagers will likely be disabled when becoming a member of the service
Video downloads:Disabled by default for customers below 16 years outdated

TikTok’s new privateness protections for teenagers are rolling out globally over the approaching months.

Notification curfew, DM adjustments and extra

TikTok says any accounts aged 13-15 gained’t obtain push notifications from 9pm, whereas accounts aged 16-17 can have push notifications disabled beginning at 10pm. Furthermore, teenagers can select who can watch every new video they add. Non-public accounts can now select to share their content material with followers or pals, because the “Everybody” setting is now turned off.

Duet and Sew are additionally disabled for accounts below 16.

We’re additionally offering extra context to assist teenagers aged 16-17 perceive how downloads work, to allow them to select the choice that’s most comfy for them. In the event that they choose to show the characteristic on, they’ll now obtain a pop-up asking them to verify that selection earlier than others can obtain their movies. Word that downloads are completely disabled on content material from accounts below the age of 16.

When a teenager aged 16-17 joins TikTok, their DM setting will likely be set to “No One” by default (they’ll change it later in settings). As for current TikTok customers who’ve by no means used the direct-messaging characteristic earlier than, they’ll obtain a immediate asking them to overview and ensure their privateness settings the following time they use this characteristic.

TikTok wrote this in regards to the new popups:

To assist teenagers perceive the sharing choices accessible to them we’re now including a pop-up that seems when teenagers below the age of 16 are able to publish their first video, asking them to decide on who can watch the video. They gained’t have the ability to publish their video till they make a choice.

In fact, there’s nothing stopping children from manually going to the TikTok settings to revert a few of the newly modified defaults. With the brand new strategy, although, TikTok needs to make sure that underage customers becoming a member of the platform will take pleasure in a secure expertise that protects their privateness with out having to take any extra motion on their half.

Protecting TikTok a secure place for teenagers

For example, the messaging functionality is turned off by default for youths below 16 . Additionally, the app prevents movies created by children to be downloaded. New accounts created by youngsters are mechanically set to personal, with public feedback on posts blocked by default.

TikTok, a Chinese language video-sharing platform, has turn into probably the most downloaded app of 2020 and is at present the most well-liked social networking service, beating even Fb when it comes to put in base and engagement.